Student Loans Company
How QA created a programme of Management & Personal Development training to develop the potential of the management team.
The challenge
The Student Loans Company wanted to create a ‘catalyst of change’ to develop the behaviours of its management team.
- They wanted to demonstrate how, and why, a leadership culture improves both customer service and efficiency and increases employee engagement.
- They needed leaders who could promote a shared vision and sense of purpose, and inspire, coach and enable the achievement of their people
- The focus for the programme was employees with ‘people’ responsibilities, including those individuals who have been targeted as having high potential.
The solution
QA developed a learning pathway called ‘Managing the Journey’, which was built around the company’s six core values and behaviours. Designed to link all aspects of management that impact on SLC, it balanced the relationship between leadership, management and technical skills. This was also tied in to talent management and succession planning, as well as the standard HR processes and practices.
The components of the journey were designed for flexible application – with a selection of mandatory and elective modules. Managers were then able to select those aspects of the Journey that suited their own requirements, whilst ensuring the mandatory modules are completed. This meant that SLC could be confident it had a consistent capability across its management team.
‘Managing the Journey’ is a cumulative model, with capabilities identified at one level becoming the ‘floor level’ for the levels above. QA’s work was combined with that of an external consultancy to provide an integrated programme at all levels.
The ‘Managing the Journey’ programme is designed to be used by current and future leaders of the SLC and people who are responsible for leadership development.
- It provides a foundation for development activities
- It clarifies capabilities and behaviours that are expected at management level
- It provides a programme that is adaptable, flexible and appropriate to business and environmental challenges and business changes
- It identifies clear career transition requisites for each management level within the organisation
‘Managing the Journey’ is useful in guiding leadership capability development for:
- Those aspiring to leadership positions
- Those in transition to the next level or a new role
- Those who want to be more effective at their current level
The SLC HR team will use the Journey to coordinate leadership development opportunities, support workforce planning, understanding the strength of their succession planning and support individuals in their career planning.
Benefits
Following the training SLC has seen a number of positive changes to the way people work:
- Management and leadership are engaging in supporting, sponsoring, coaching and mentoring colleagues
- A reduction in attrition rate and sickness or absence
- As the programme is aligned to Best Company Framework there has been an improvement in scoring, giving a demonstrable indicator of improvements
- There has been a reduction in dependency on HR by management population
- They have created a ‘one culture’ with an engaged and empowered management population
- There has been a cascade of learning from the management team using new tools and techniques within the business
The programme design
1st line manager
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Performance management
- HR policies and procedures
- Dealing with difficult situations
- Organising work and time
- Giving and receiving constructive feedback
- Managing meeting effectively
- 360 feedback
- Equality and diversity
- Assertiveness
- What is leadership
- Facilitation skills
- Team building
- Problem solving and decision making
Management development programme – the pathway
- 360 Feedback
- Psychological profiling eg MBTI, SDI
- Coaching for performance
- Working in a unionised environment
- Stakeholder management
- Introduction to People Management
- Managing your manager
- Conflict management
- Dealing with difficult situations/people
- Coaching for performance
- Advanced communications
- Performance management
- Dealing with change
- Emotional Intelligence
- Equality & Diversity
- HR policies & procedures
- Employment law updates
Senior Management Development Programme
- Being an inspirational leader
- Managing in a political arena
- Defining and communicating a strategic vision
- Being able to deal with complexity
- Presenting statistical information
- Employment law updates
- Emotional intelligence
Senior Leadership development programme
- Programme defined by external consultancy, Carter Corson
The Student Loans Company (SLC) is a UK public sector organisation established to provide financial services, in terms of loans and grants, to over one million students annually, in colleges and universities across the four education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.